I need some help deciding in some indoor arena footing… Currently leasing a facility with a 60 X 120 indoor that is in desperate need of new footing… Arena has not had new footing for at least 9+ years so the old footing ( Stone dust , sand mixture) is basically hardened or become extremely dust… I do not want to spend a small fortune on footing because I am leasing but I was wondering if anyone could help me find a cheap easy footing to chose?
You should be able to “recover” the existing bluestone/sand combo by a thorough grooming – over and over again. If you were to start over, stonedust and sand will still be dusty when dry…;).
What I would do is groom the tar out of it without digging up the dirt base, then add more sand (construction grade) to the desire depth. You’ll still need to water.
You could also add about 1" of hard rock maple shavings (IF you can find them) and mix in. It keeps the footing loose and retains moisture. It is a very hard wood and takes forever to break down. I would not use another wood though. They can turn dark, break down fast and look nasty.
Here’s an essay that might be helpful to direct you in the right direction.
http://hi-hog.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Arena-Footing-Essay.pdf
No doubt about it. Money is always an obstacle.
